


drawing on the blueprint

by nainjun (longassride)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Plans For The Future, architect!jaemin, businessstudent!renjun, side markhyuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-09
Updated: 2018-11-09
Packaged: 2019-08-21 00:11:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,410
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16565825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/longassride/pseuds/nainjun
Summary: Renjun wants to dominate the world (and raise hell for his subordinates) by being the CEO of a multinational corporation and a husband to welcome him with so much love when he comes home. Jaemin simply can't work in an unnecessarily loud space and stocks an abundant amount of love. They are perfect but they are bestfriends in the first place.





	drawing on the blueprint

**Author's Note:**

> brief recommendation: play some lo-fi while reading this

Talking about the future always excites Renjun. It takes him to a certain mise-en-scène of a blueprint overlay with sparks of interesting idea in every greyish, dusty, graphite-scented or jet black, confident, ink lines, scanty immortal scars of erased plans that ornament the border of the base, the bold strokes and the scrawny ones, the numbers counting up his expectation rest next to each part of the concerted “future”. He’d hang it on the ceiling of his skull, a reminder to reach his dream not as high as the sky because the sky sounds too hopeful and cliche.

 

In the blueprint, he draws his future house and the details of it, even to which direction the front door will reveal the world and where should he build his room so the window can offer more natural lights in all seasons. Around the house, lies the brand of his future car and future workplace, the color palettes for his walls and fences, his living room and his kitchen, the recent movies from that will be old enough to be called legends later, and maybe a little scribble of the future toys for his baby. The colorful Google logo is etched next to World Bank’s monochromatic spider web earth, Me Before You’s poster next to a sketch of the classic fluffy infant gym,  _ “timberwolf floor to match pastel blue wall”  _ next to the front door’s color code.

 

And Renjun’s cheeks are dusted pink (again) when his eyes hover above the only living creature that he draws on the last day of high school when the sun is setting and washing the boy with warm sunset orange before osmosing into his follicles. He remembers the smile spreading on his face, the one he claims to be “Renjun’s only” and suddenly, he doesn’t care about the perceived gap between them, the barrier people often blame the universe for.

 

Renjun still draws him with a pencil, though, among all bold strings and bold dreams.

 

☀

 

When Renjun enters business school out of impulsion because he fails the science class due to the chemistry teacher, he never expects to stream along the stereotype of business school students easily: ambitious, antisocial, competitive, and a little idealistic. Not that he becomes a  _ terribly  _ awful person, he just feels the difference in him. He who used to want to dedicate his life to save other people’s lives have no longer a more societal mindset even though he is still the same Renjun who is sympathetic to an old, homeless beggar.

 

“Piiip, this is the national broadcasting system. We were informed that the nation just lost a  _ true _ doctor,” the man in front of him interrupts without looking up from his blueprint and scattered rulers in various shapes, for various functions. His long caramel hair is styled messy quiff, leaving a few strands hanging in front of his forehead, just right above the dark rim of his spectacles. Renjun has the same question in his head all the time  _ who does he try to woo with that _ but knowing the other boy’s nature longer than anyone else except his parents has sparked the answer itself. None, because it’s for the sake of professionality and Jaemin does flirt here and there but minus of them that has weight. Plus, they are in his own room, Jaemin on his drafting table and Renjun on the owner’s bed with a laptop on his lap and scattered paper and no one else.

 

The boy was busy dragging lines and now jabbing numbers and mathematical symbols in the calculator. There’s a knowing smile, almost,  _ almost _ , playful decorating his serious face. Renjun should be annoyed with that but that’s not how he works after years being his best friend.

 

“It’s real, Jaemin. I really wanted to be a doctor… three years ago before Ms. Kim decided to raise hell in my life,” Renjun says, cringing by how he sounds a little too whiny in front of Jaemin. “You know it!”

 

“It’s just you who takes everything too easily, Jun,” the taller advocates with a small giggle. Of course, Renjun pouts but that’s because how accurate the boy’s words are. He admits he didn’t study well and slept a lot in the class. And pissed the teacher off because he deserved that. If he fails the specialization, it’s anything but his fault. “‘Sir, lemme teach you how to  _ respect _ people,’” Jaemin mock-impersonates him from the memory years ago.

 

“I hate you, Jaemin.”

 

“You love me, Injun.”

 

About that one, Jaemin really doesn’t need to remind him. Renjun is fully aware of the space left in his brain because the other boy completely invades his mind. He is left only with a handful of brain cells enough to live his mundane routine normally. When Jaemin is around, it takes twice effort to spit fire to him because Jaemin—and his stupid tall ass—is holding him just like that.

 

“Just keep doing your shitty drawing and shut up,” Renjun issues while rolling his eyes. He is strictly taught by his parents not to lie and right now, right there, he straight up tells Jaemin’s god-tier drawing a shitty drawing. Jaemin just draws a wholesome modern infrastructure of a manufacturing company’s new office in Gangnam, the company that hires him even before he writes his bachelor thesis. How can it be shitty in the first place when what he does is a big-time project that earns him actual money?

 

Jaemin, like he always is, only smiles kindly, knowing that Renjun is the all-bark-no-bite guy. That only makes the shorter’s heart swells at one fell swoop. He is more assured that Jaemin is the yang to his yin, established since their first encounter in elementary. Renjun leans more to Donghyuk’s personality, fire-spitting bitches, while Jaemin and Mark share almost the same core value: live like the calm water. Donghyuk and Mark are his (their) other iconic best friends. With so many differences and clashing values, all four of them manage to sustain this friendship until 15 years after their first day of elementary school. Mark even successfully asked Donghyuk out after realizing how much of an actual mess his life is without the fake mess Donghyuk by his side.

 

Mark’s declaration makes Renjun thinks harder. He has liked Jaemin since he discovers the boy’s music taste (some golden oldies, alternative rock, and indie). Then, it blooms an whenever Jaemin comforts him or takes care of him, jotting down the biology notes diligently so Renjun could continue his sleep when Jaemin is not a visual learner but the audio-kinesthetic one. Jaemin  _ didn’t  _ waste his time taking notes yet he wrote one full lecture for Renjun. He gave the whole notes to Renjun because he “has stored it” in his head and handed a cup of coffee along the notes.

 

His warm fuzzy feeling turned into something more serious when he realized that it’d been five years since he had a crush on Jaemin and what he told Donghyuk was no longer about the taller’s handsome face or athletic build. It’s about how lovely Jaemin looked when he attempted to cook and how lovely the taste of his food too. It’s about how Jaemin handled his little (nasty) cousin, Chenle, and made him into a sweet cousin that Renjun had never known. And on the other day, he paused in the middle of painting the Iceland landscape Donghyuk printed for their art project because the sudden vibe surged him.

 

“I could imagine Jaemin in his beige turtleneck sweater, reading a book in the living room, facing the window as the snow falls. And there is a cup of coffee on the table. His favourite hand-ground coffee beans. In this house,” Renjun pointed at his painting before looking up to Donghyuk in terror. “I think, I am delusive and a little schizophrenic, dude.”

 

Donghyuk scoffed in disbelief, mouth opening to let out a mocking “ha” and said, “Do you even know what schizophrenia is? And you’re not delusive or mentally ill whatsoever. You’re just so in love with Jaemin. That’s final and irrevocable.” With three knocks on the table, Donghyuk ended the trial.

 

That’s how Renjun knows he loves Jaemin. And as time passes by, as his age adds up, as his maturity shows up and becomes more prominent, the way he effloresces his feeling becomes more subtle, more gentle because he learns that Jaemin and he are not like other people. They are wiser, more understanding, more mature than people born in the same year as them. They don’t need public appreciation or feel the need to conform to the generation’s crush culture. They can live the 1985 while growing up together in 2018. Renjun doesn’t see why he should be like other giddy girlfriends or boyfriends wannabe when he can be calm and composed and lowkey and still love Jaemin deeper than anyone do.

 

“What’s your plan after this project, Min?” Renjun cuts his own trail of thoughts, getting his focus back on the financial consultant firm’s financial statement he’s been analyzing.

 

“Bachelor thesis?”

 

“No. I mean, your future plan.”

 

“Oh. Maybe I’ll build my own office after learning business’ fundamental.”

 

Now, this is interesting. Jaemin who completely rejects the idea of getting involved in economic shit now proposes to study about business. Renjun can use the past to counterattack.

 

“Say the one who calls himself ‘too reckless for economic shit’,” Renjun executes with a smirk. That effectively stops Jaemin from his activity for a while and tints his cheeks with soft red.

 

“No, not that. I mean like industry process.” The shorter boy still sports an amused face. “Like how things do, Injun. It’s impossible for me to learn about business.”

 

“Well, nothing is too impossible, Jaemin,” Renjun says.

 

_ Bold of you to say that, Huang Renjun. _

 

“Can’t imagine working in the city honestly,” Jaemin states after he gains his composure and begins drawing again. The statement sends Renjun to the edge of worry because please don't say you are leaving Korea or that kind of shit because Renjun will wail in this very tranquil neighbourhood.

 

“What do you mean?” he asks calmly, despite the thundering heart.

 

“I prefer to work at home.”

 

Those five words are enough to freeze Renjun on the spot, electrocuting his nerves and effectively shutting down his overworked brain. Jaemin said what? He prefers to work at home?

 

_ “I want to break my bones in the office, Mark. Make money and make troubles for my subordinates HAHA.” Mark only smiles gently at the remark. Renjun is Donghyuk’s friend for a reason, he says to himself. _

 

_ “Nah, kidding. I just can’t imagine working from home, doing chores, taking care of the baby. Not that I hate that! I only don’t prefer it. I want to work in the office, be a CEO or something and deal with shits in the office only. And have a husband who stays at home. I go home, house is clean, kids abundant into bed, foods are ready. I come home to get some love,” Renjun says dreamily. _

 

_ “Well, I feel sorry for your future husband because he is also a voluntary maid. Is there to love a man but doesn’t get love back. Indeed, a slave for love,” Mark chuckles and receives a hit on his forearm by blushing Renjun. _

 

_ “Oh my god, not like that, Mark! Of course, we will do them together but- I don’t want to do the most part of them. Just that! I don’t mean to enslave him or what,” says him with a pout. “And I will love my husband! How can I marry someone I don’t love?!” _

 

_ Mark ruffles the younger’s hair. “I know, kiddo. Chill.” _

 

_ “But… what if your husband works at a company too, and even busier than you do? But you love him. Will you ban him from the job, ask him to leave?” _

 

_ “Of course, not, Mark. I won’t,” Renjun sighs. The thought actually scares him, if he has to stay at home and do chores. He just hates chores since his childhood and doesn’t wish to see it again in his marriage life. “I will discuss with him. About who to handle what. Then we can have a win-win solution.” _

 

_ Mark only nods understandingly in a way of a company’s interviewer will do when they are satisfied. Does Renjun’s statement have a certain value of accuracy? Why does he feel like Mark’s secretly leading him again? _

 

“Why?” Renjun chokes on his own interrogative word. His throat is dry from gaping like a fish lacking water which he shouldn’t do because he just has no reason to gape like that. Jaemin is just telling him his preference, not planning a murder or what.  _ Like intentionally matching his preference. _

 

“I can’t work in an unnecessarily loud space. It hinders efficiency though it boosts creativity. Sometimes,” Jaemin answers calmly, shrugging at the end of the sentence to accentuate the  _ sometimes _ . Renjun only can follow his hand movement, a fast and meticulous collaboration with his 0.3 Sakura Micron.

 

“Also, I want to tuck my kids into bed, make nice food for my husband twice a day, clean the house better than him and,” Jaemin turns to look at him, there’s an unintelligible glint crossing his eyes. Renjun’s grip on his laptop unwittingly tightens. “I want to give some love to my tired CEO husband.”

 

Renjun swallows at the familiar remarks, not expecting them to come out from Jaemin’s mouth so fluently like he’s recited them over years. Jaemin has stood up from his seat, approaching the older boy slowly. Suddenly, the distance between the corners of the room become peculiarly prolonged.

 

“Also, I heard someone’s looking for a stay-at-home husband. Was it… Renjin? Ronjuin? Lonjin?” Jaemin feigns confusion, walking even closer to where Renjun sits down while tapping his chin curiously. His white shirt is oversized, hanging down his shoulders loosely, and Renjun can’t help the creeping blush when the thought of wearing that on his even tinier body flashes before his head. He knows he should be panic right now because Jaemin,  _ his ultimate crush _ , is highkey hinting him to admit his feeling (and embarrassing future plan) but panic becomes an understatement when Jaemin sits down on the edge of the bed, leaning into him with both his arms trapping Renjun on each side of him.

 

“Injun?”

 

Chill downs his spine when Jaemin’s robust baritone voice flows into his ears. The voice he will never use in daily conversations or to anyone in their peer group. The voice that Renjun never knows exist even though he knows it’s in the package deal of the taller’s glow up. His bravery plummets to a nonexistent pit below them when Jaemin leans dangerously closer now and he shrinks under his serene yet demanding face.

 

“Do I ask you to be quiet? Are… my words not clear enough?”

 

“Jaemin,” Renjun puts his hand on both of the boy’s shoulders, feeling the prominent collarbones under his shaking palm. It stops Jaemin from completely attaching his face to Renjun’s but still close enough for the older to take in the mint mouthwash that he breathes out.

 

“Are you playing with me?” And Renjun regrets saying that to the boy because he immediately looks pained at his remark. “I mean- you don’t… I’m not sure about what you’re talking an ? I- that’s right I want a stay-at-home husband, I want to work in a multinational company that doesn’t allow me a proper rest, and that’s right Mark is an asshole but-”

 

“Do you really need to say Mark’s name in between  _ our  _ conversation about  _ us _ ?” Renjun has never been so scared of Jaemin in their friendship timeline but calm Jaemin, in some contexts, means frenzied Jaemin. And even though, Mark is their bestfriend, the fact doesn’t ease the jealousy in Jaemin’s heart. Renjun found it amusing before because the taller would get really touchy and protective around him. This time, he doesn’t see it really amusing with the invasion of private space by Jaemin, hardened jawline, and intentions that slowly reveal themselves.

 

“Okay, alright.” Jaemin’s creases soften and Renjun lets out a breath he has unknowingly been holding for God knows how long. “I don’t know how do you feel about me, about my future plan. Chances are you only take that as a meme to tease me every time we meet or a blackmail material for my future husband when I have to do the otherwise.”

 

Renjun shifts his eyes upward to look at Jaemin’s dark, enchanting ones. He must have saved a world in his early life to deserve this chance, to be able to look at Jaemin in a not-so-friend-like distance. He is carving this moment right away in case Jaemin really means his words as a future blackmail material.

 

“Why are you thinking so far about blackmailing your future husband when he is right in front of you?” says Jaemin. “Is one Na Jaemin impossible?”

 

Renjun looks down while the heat shoots up to his head, making him dizzy in a warm and pleasant way. “Why are you talking about being my husband when you’re not even my boyfriend?”

 

Jaemin doesn’t answer for a moment, waiting for the older to look up at him again with eyes full of expectation. When Renjun finally looks up again, lips pursed in hesitation and eyes glimmered with the natural light coming from the window, Jaemin offers him a smirk.

 

“Do you want it? Me, as your boyfriend? Because I’ll be more than happy to end my frustrating pining agenda with a glorious epilogue where we kiss on my bed.” Renjun is just getting redder with every of Jaemin’s word and suffering a significant eloquence degradation. And Jaemin looks happier as he feels smaller and weak under this unexpected situation. Who knows his sad pining is possessed by Jaemin too?

 

“Do you really like me, Jaemin? Like, the like of two men... not two bros?”

 

Jaemin bursts into a fit of laughter hearing that, turning the shy Renjun into the abusive Renjun. The small fist jabs his chest several times but he thinks it’s funny (and futile) and only Renjun can pull it cutely like that. He loves it.

 

The taller cups Renjun’s face with his two hands and closing the gap to capture his upper lips between his warm ones, dysfunctioning the boy only in a mere second. The four-year-old question at the back of his mind is now answered. Renjun really tastes like the xylitol gum and a small hint of green tea toothpaste that he brags a lot in class. Jaemin carefully memorizes the shape of his lips, the softness that he has imagined before, the taste that only Renjun can own.

 

Feeling the sincerity in Jaemin’s kiss, Renjun allows himself to be drowned in the pleasant feeling, kissing the boy back with the same fire in his heart. It burns the sad longing, wishful thinking, and hesitation within his cells. When Jaemin tilts his head to deepen their kiss, Renjun is feeling lighter, like his life burden is all lifted. He realizes that whatever Jaemin does, he is always the support system that Renjun needs. This one is the better support that Renjun can ever ask for and boosts his mood more effectively.

 

When they part away to pump oxygen into their burning lungs, they see sparks that aren’t in each other’s eyes before. Jaemin is the first one to smile warmly, lovingly like he always does effortlessly only to Renjun and Renjun decides to throw himself into the taller’s arms, sporting the same contented smile. He knows, Jaemin maybe still figure out his own romantic word for him but Renjun knows that it’s ‘love’ for Jaemin. To endure pains together and to fix each other until they no longer mind their weakness and instead, fills in for each other are two bullets to distinct ‘like’ and ‘love’. Renjun doesn’t want to sound rushing but he absolutely knows that they are no longer in a puppy love phase although they are new in this relationship too. If there’s something he wants to brag to the world, it’s their maturity.

 

“Do you really want to tuck the kids into bed, cooks me food twice a day, and do the chores? While being an architect?”

 

“Yes. But I look up more to give you _some love_ after your boring day in the office without me.”

 

“Jaemin!”

 

☀

**Author's Note:**

> i dedicate this fic to my male bestfriend of 6 years who is also pursuing his dream as an architect in deutschland, far away from home. all of the things written above are real except the dating part cus obviously im not dating my male bestfriend lmao. but he's been the best support in my life and we are so mature that real couples in the school are shooketh. welp i guess its enough for the talk before i burst into tears.
> 
> anyway, busway, im planning on writing a fanfiction with markhyuck/renmin/chensung in it. a small spoiler, markminsung will be idiots with 3.8 written on their GPA descriptions. why are they idiots? idk too ._.
> 
> talk to me and find fun kpop stuffs in my tumblr @murkcurry


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